It’s the annual ritual of music journalists everywhere: the end-of-year best list. My editor at liveDaily.com asked for a top ten, but the stacks of CDs in the office were too tall to limit my personal list to just that.

Working through a bout of allergy / sinus issues most of the day, I was on the fence about venturing into clubland to see Bob Schneider and opening act Aslyn. An invite from Aslyn’s publicist made the choice a lot easier – you don’t take comp tix for granted.

Turn this one up. Great garage-band rock out of Boston. Thanks to CMJ and Pitchfork for pointing them out. I see a lot of editorial space comparing them to early Who and Thin Lizzy and James Gang, but am I the only one who hears some early KISS knocking around in there? “100,000 Years,” anyone?

There’s live review on this site of Joss Stone’s SXSW performance in March. I first heard her on NPR, probably late in 2003. I still hold to the belief that she’s got a very rare instrument in that incredible voice.